Obama says deal will "help Iran from building a nuclear weapon"

Nov. 25 - U.S. President Barack Obama says if Iran accepts nuclear agreement, the two nations could begin to ''chip away from the mistrust that existed for many many years''. Rough Cut (no narration).

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ROUGH CUT (NO REPORTER NARRATION) President Barack Obama took on critics of a newly brokered nuclear deal with Iran on Monday by saying tough talk was good for politics but not good for U.S. security. Top Republicans - as well as U.S. ally Israel - have criticized Obama for agreeing to the deal, which the United States and its partners say will prevent Tehran from obtaining a nuclear bomb. Obama has long been criticized for his desire to engage with U.S. foes. As a presidential candidate in 2008, the former Illinois senator took heat for saying he would talk to Iran, which has not had diplomatic relations with Washington for decades. The president seemed to want to make a victory lap with his remarks on Monday, which were mainly focused on immigration reform. He noted he had ended the war in Iraq and would end the war in Afghanistan next year, two things he also pledged to do as a candidate. If Tehran follows the agreement, Obama said, it would chip away at years of mistrust with the United States. The White House has declined to identify a date for the next round of talks between Iran and world powers Russia, China, the United States, France, Britain, and Germany. But a spokesman said on Monday that Washington was eager to get started quickly. Obama is in the middle of a three-day western swing to raise money for the Democratic Party while promoting his policy priorities on the economy. U.S. President Barack Obama said if Iran chooses to agree to the nuclear sanction agreement, then the U.S and Iran could start "chipping away at the mistrust that existed for many, many years between our two nations." The agreement, which halts Iran's most sensitive nuclear activity, was reached on Sunday in Geneva between the U.S., Iran, China, Russia, France, Britain and Germany.

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